BANKS OF THE CHOBE. 93 



annual inundation of the Chobe; and this, which appeared 

 a large, deep river, filled in many parts with reeds, and 

 having hippopotami in it, is only one of the branches by 

 which it sends its superabundant water to the southeast. 



We made so many attempts to get over the Sanshureh. 

 both to the west and east of the wagon, in the hope of 

 reaching some of the Makololo on the Chobe, that my 

 Bushmen friends became quite tired of the work. By 

 means of presents I got them to remain some days; but at 

 last they slipped away by night, and I was fain to take 

 one of the strongest of my still weak companions and cross 

 the river in a pontoon, the gift of Captains Codrington and 

 "Webb. We each carried some provisions and a blanket, 

 and penetrated about twenty miles to the westward, in 

 the hope of striking the Chobe. It was much nearer to us 

 in a northerly direction, but this we did not then know. 

 The plain, over which we splashed the whole of the first 

 day, was covered with water ankle deep, and thick grass 

 which reached above the knees. In the evening we came 

 to an immense wall of reeds, six or eight feet high, without 

 any opening admitting of a passage. When we tried to 

 enter, the water always became so deep that we were fain 

 to desist. We concluded that we had come to the banks 

 of the river we were in search of ; so we directed our course 

 to some trees which appeared in the south, in order to get 

 a bed and a view of the adjacent locality. Having shot a 

 leche, and made a glorious fire, we got a good cup of tea 

 and had a comfortable night. 



Next morning, by climbing the highest trees, we could 

 see a fine large sheet of water, but surrounded on all sides 

 uy the same impenetrable belt of reeds. This is the broad 

 part of the river Chobe, and is called Zabesa. Two tree- 

 covered islands seemed to be much nearer to the water 

 than the shore on which we were ; so we made an attempt 

 to get to them first. It was not the reeds alone we had 

 to pass through; a peculiar serrated grass, which at certain 

 angles cut the hands like a razor, was mingled with the 



